Neck-yoke center



(No Model'.) I

G. W. PURBY.

NECK YOKE OBNTBR.

No. 587,807. Patented Aug. 10,1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE IV. FURBY,. OF LOCKWVQOD, MISSOURI.

NECK-YOKE CENTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 587,807, dated August10, 1897.

Application filed anuary 9, 1897. Serial No. 618,558. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE \V. FURBY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lockwood, in the county of Dade and State of Missouri, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Neck-Yoke Centers; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to neck-yoke centers; and the object of theinvention is to provide a simple, cheap, and efficient device of thecharacter referred to which will absolutely prevent the tongue of avehicle from protruding through the center so as to allow the vehicle torun upon the horses and cause a runaway. Under the ordinary constructionof neck-yoke centers the tongue gradually increases the size of theaperture in the center and slides therethrough, thus causing the vehicleto run upon the horses, with the result above referred to. This is adisadvantage with which many are familiar and which it is the object ofthis invention to overcome.

To this end the invention consists in an improved neck-yoke centerembodying certain novel features and details of construction, ashereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, andincorporated in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing aneck-yoke with the improved center applied thereto. Fig. 2 is anenlarged detail section taken through the yoke bar and center, showingalso a portion of a tongue and the manner of constructing the center andsecuring the same to the yoke-bar.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in bothviews.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the yoke, which consists of abar made preferably tapering from its center toward its ends andprovided at its ends with loops or staples 2 for engaging theyoke-straps 3, which are passed around the ends of the yoke and throughsaid loops or staples, as shown.

The yoke-center is preferably constructed from a piece of leather, thesame being folded at its central portion around the yoke-bar only toform a sleeve 4. The end portions of the center are then broughttogether on the lower side of the bar and united along their marginaledges by stitching, asindicated at 5. A piece of leather or othersuitable material is interposed between the end portions of the 7 centerpiece and firmly secured by means of said end from protruding from thesocket.

The inner open end of this socket is spread in annular form between theend portions of the center piece and is secured in place by means of acircular row of stitches S, passing through'the end portions of thecenter piece and also through the spread edge of the socketpiece. Thecenter piece is further secured to the yoke-bar by means ofwasher-plates 9, arranged in front and rear of the center, as shown, andconnected by means of screws or other suitable fasteners 1O, which passthrough one of said plates and enter threaded openings in the otherplate. These plates are arranged close to the yoke-bar and serve to bindthe center portion or sleeve 4 of the center piece firmly around the bar1.

By means of the construction above described the vehicle-tongue isprevented from wearing away and enlarging the hole in the yoke-centerand is also prevented from protruding theret-hrough sufficiently toallow the vehicle to run upon the horses and cause a runaway. Anextended double bearing is also provided for the end of the tongue,which serves to hold the same steady.

The device, while extremely simple in construction, will be found ofgreat utility and yoke-bar, the end portions of said piece beingstitched'at their marginal edges and provided with registering openings,and a tapering leather socket-piece closed at its contracted end andhaving the edges of its larger end inserted between the thicknesses ofthe neckyoke centerand stitched or otherwisesecured,

said socket-piece being adapted to be removably fitted over the end of aVehicle-tongue and to prevent said tongue from protruding 1otherethrongh, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

' GEORGE W. FURBY. Witnesses: V L. H. BARTLING, J. V. NEWMAN.

